Biden Appears to Be Contemplating Presidential Run for 2016

While many politicos have assumed that Vice President Joe Biden’s advanced age would keep him from running for president in 2016, the former Delaware senator seems to be keeping the possibility alive, Politico reports.

Biden, who will be 73 in 2016, has been bringing on more staff recently, including Steve Ricchetti, White House deputy chief of staff for President Bill Clinton. The move has triggered speculation among Democrats that Biden might try for the presidency a third time, after failing in 1988 and 2008.

Former Sen. Ted Kaufman, a close friend of Biden, told Politico it’s “premature” to say that Biden is putting the pieces in place for a run in 2016, but added that he’s capable of it. “What I’ve been saying, and what I think he believes also, is that after this election is over, he should seriously think about 2016,” Kaufman said.

“He’s completely consumed with 2012. In 2008, his view was, ‘Here’s a Super Bowl, they need a running back, they need me, I’m just supposed to come in and carry the ball.’ This time is a lot different. He’s been part of this team for three, four years, and he’s got relationships with Axe [senior Obama campaign adviser David Axelrod] and [senior White House adviser David] Plouffe.”